Jeremiah 48 - Easy To Read Version

¹ This message is about the country of Moab. This is what the Lord All-Powerful, the God of the people of Israel, says: {\cf2\super [376]}

² Moab will not be praised again.\par Men in Heshbon will plan Moab’s defeat.\par They will say,\par ‘Come, let us put an end to that nation.’\par Madmenah, you will also be silenced.\par The sword will chase you.\par

³ Listen to the cries from Horonaim.\par They are cries of much confusion\par and destruction.\par

⁴ Moab will be destroyed.\par Her little children will cry for help.\par

⁵ Moab’s people go up the path to Luhith.\par They are crying bitterly as they go.\par On the road down to the town of Horonaim,\par Cries of pain and suffering can be heard.\par

⁶ Run away! Run for your lives!\par Run away like a tumbleweed {\cf2\super [378]} \par \{blowing\} through the desert.\par

⁷ You trust in the things you made\par and in your wealth.\par So you will be captured.\par The god Chemosh {\cf2\super [379]} \par will be taken into captivity.\par And his priests and officials\par will be taken with him.\par

⁸ The Destroyer will come against every town.\par Not one town will escape.\par The valley will be ruined.\par The high plain will be destroyed.\par The Lord said this would happen,\par so it will happen.\par

⁹ Spread salt {\cf2\super [380]} over the fields in Moab.\par The country will be an empty desert.\par Moab’s towns will become empty.\par No people will live in them.\par

¹⁰ If a person does not do what the Lord says,\par if he does not use his sword\par to kill those people,\par then bad things will happen\par to that person.\par

¹¹ “Moab has never known trouble.\par Moab is like wine left to settle.\par Moab has never been poured\par from one jar to another.\par He has not been taken into captivity.\par So he tastes like he did before.\par And his smell has not changed.”\par

¹² The Lord says these things.\par “But I will soon send men\par to pour you from your jars. {\cf2\super [381]} \par Then they will empty the jars\par and smash them to pieces.”\par

¹³ Then the people of Moab will be ashamed of their false god, Chemosh. {\cf2\super [382]} The people of Israel trusted that \{false god\} in Bethel. {\cf2\super [383]} And the people of Israel were embarrassed \{when that false god did not help them\}. Moab will be like that.

¹⁴ “You can’t say,\par ‘We are good soldiers.\par We are brave men in battle.’\par

¹⁵ The enemy will attack Moab.\par The enemy will enter those towns\par and destroy them.\par Her best young men will be killed\par in the slaughter.”\par This message is from the King.\par The King’s name is the Lord All Powerful.\par

¹⁶ “The end of Moab is near.\par Moab will soon be destroyed.\par

¹⁷ All of you people living around Moab should cry for that country.\par You people know how famous Moab is.\par So cry for him.\par Say,\par ‘The ruler’s power is broken.\par Moab’s power and glory is gone.’\par

¹⁸ “You people living in Dibon, {\cf2\super [384]} \par come down from your place of honor.\par Sit on the ground in the dust.\par Why? Because the Destroyer is coming.\par And he will destroy your strong cities.\par

¹⁹ “You people living in Aroer,\par stand next to the road and watch.\par See the man running away.\par See that woman running away.\par Ask them what happened.\par

²⁰ “Moab will be ruined and filled with shame.\par Moab will cry and cry.\par Announce at the Arnon River, {\cf2\super [385]} \par that Moab is destroyed.\par

²¹ People on the high plain have been punished.\par Judgment has come to the towns of\par Holon, Jahzah, and Mephaath,\par

²² Judgment has come to the towns of\par Dibon, Nebo, and Beth Diblathaim,\par

²³ Judgment has come to the towns of\par Kiriathaim, Beth Gamul, and Beth Meon,\par

²⁴ Judgment has come to the towns of\par Kerioth and Bozrah.\par Judgment has come to all the towns of\par Moab, far and near.\par

²⁵ Moab’s strength has been cut off.\par Moab’s arm has been broken.”\par The Lord said these things.\par

²⁶ “Moab thought he was more important\par than the Lord.\par So punish Moab until he staggers\par like a drunk person.\par Moab will fall and roll around in his vomit.\par People will make fun of Moab.\par

²⁷ “Moab, you made fun of Israel.\par Israel was caught by a gang of thieves.\par Every time you spoke about Israel,\par you shook your head and acted like you\par were better than Israel.\par

²⁸ People in Moab, leave your towns.\par Go live among the rocks;\par be like a dove that makes its nest\par at the opening of a cave.”\par

²⁹ “We have heard about Moab’s pride.\par He was very proud.\par He thought he was important.\par He was always bragging.\par He was very, very proud.”\par

³⁰ The Lord says,\par “I know that Moab becomes angry quickly\par and brags about himself.\par But his boasts are lies.\par He can’t do the things he says.\par

³¹ So, I cry for Moab.\par I cry for everyone in Moab.\par I cry for the men from Kir Hareseth.\par

³² I cry with the people of Jazer for Jazer.\par Sibmah, in the past your vines\par spread all the way to the sea.\par They reached as far as the town of Jazer.\par But the Destroyer has taken your fruit\par and grapes.\par

³³ Joy and happiness are gone\par from the large vineyards {\cf2\super [386]} of Moab.\par I stopped the flow of wine\par from the winepresses. {\cf2\super [387]} \par There is no singing and dancing\par from people walking on the grapes\par to make wine.\par There are no shouts of joy.\par

³⁴ “The people of the towns of Heshbon and Elealeh are crying. Their cry is heard even as far away as the town of Jahaz. Their cry is heard from the town of Zoar, as far away as the towns of Horonaim and Eglath Shelishiyah. Even the waters of Nimrim are dried.

³⁵ I will stop Moab from making burnt offerings on the high places. {\cf2\super [388]} I will stop them from making sacrifices to their gods.” The Lord said those things.\par

³⁶ “I am very sad for Moab. My hearts cries like the sad sound of a flute playing a funeral song. I am sad for the people from Kir Hareseth. Their money and riches have all been taken away.

³⁷ Everyone has a shaved head. Everyone’s beard is cut off. Everyone’s hands are cut and bleeding. {\cf2\super [389]} Everyone is wearing their clothes of sadness around their waists.

³⁸ People are crying for the dead everywhere in Moab—on every housetop and in every public square. There is sadness because I have broken Moab like an empty jar.” The Lord said these things.\par

³⁹ “Moab is shattered. The people are crying. Moab surrendered. Now Moab is ashamed. People make fun of Moab—but the things that happened fill them with fear.”\par

⁴⁰ The Lord says, “Look!\par An eagle is diving down from the sky.\par It is spreading its wings over Moab.\par

⁴¹ The towns of Moab will be captured.\par The strong hiding places will be defeated.\par At that time, Moab’s soldiers will be scared,\par like a woman that is having a baby.\par

⁴² The nation of Moab will be destroyed.\par Why? Because they thought\par that they were more important\par than the Lord.”\par

⁴³ The Lord says these things:\par “People of Moab,\par fear, deep holes, and traps {\cf2\super [390]} wait for you.\par

⁴⁴ People will be afraid and run away,\par and they will fall into the deep holes.\par If anyone climbs out of the deep holes,\par he will be caught in the traps.\par I will bring the year of punishment\par to Moab.”\par The Lord said these things.\par

⁴⁵ “People have run from the powerful enemy.\par They ran to safety in the town Heshbon.\par \{But there was no safety.\}\par A fire started in Heshbon.\par That fire started in Sihon’s town {\cf2\super [391]} \par And it is destroying the leaders of Moab.\par It is destroying those proud people.\par

⁴⁶ It will be bad for you, Moab.\par Chemosh’s {\cf2\super [392]} people are being destroyed.\par Your sons and daughters\par are being taken away\par as prisoners and captives. {\cf2\super [393]} \par

⁴⁷ “Moab’s people will be taken away as captives. But in days to come, I will bring Moab’s people back.” This message is from the Lord.